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Title: PRECLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF AFRICAN SWINE FEVER IN CONTACT EXPOSED SWINE BY A PORTABLE REAL-TIME PCR ASSAY

Author
item ZSAK, LASZLO - DHS PLUM ISLAND, NY
item Borca, Manuel
item RISATTI, GUILLERMO - UNIV. OF CONNECTICUT
item FRENCH, RICHARD - UNIV. OF CONNECTICUT
item LU, ZHIQIANG - DHS PLUM ISLAND, NY
item Kutish, Gerald
item NEILAN, JOHN - DHS PLUM ISLAND, NY
item CALLAHAN, JOHNNY - TETRACORE INC., MARYLAND
item NELSON, WILLIAM - TETRACORE INC., MARYLAND
item ROCK, DANIEL - UNIV. OF ILLINOIS

Submitted to: Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/6/2004
Publication Date: 1/1/2005
Citation: Zsak, L., Borca, M.V., Risatti, G.R., French, R., Lu, Z., Kutish, G.F., Neilan, J.G., Callahan, J.D., Nelson, W.M., Rock, D.L. 2005. Preclinical Diagnosis of African Swine Fever in Contact Exposed Swine by a Portable Real-time PCR Assay. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 43 (1):112-119.

Interpretive Summary: A Real time PCR assay to detect African Swine Fever Virus was developed. The test was evaluated in experimental infected animals and it is shown that virus could be preclincally detected at least 2 days before the appearance of the clinical symptoms. The test could be used for clinical diagnosis of African Swine Fever surveillance and/or emergency management of a disease outbreak.

Technical Abstract: Clinical signs of African Swine Fever (ASF) are inapparent at early stages of infection and at later stages they resemble those of some other swine diseases. A rapid, preclinical diagnosis at the site of the suspected disease outbreak would be extremely useful for controlling ASF. To address this need, a fluorogenic probe hydrolysis (TaqMan@) PCR assay for African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) was developed and evaluated in experimentally infected swine. This sensitive and specific one step-single tube assay, which can be performed in two hours or less, detected viral DNA in tonsil scraping samples 2 to 4 days prior to onset of clinical disease. Thus, the assay would have application for preclinical diagnosis of African Swine Fever and surveillance and/or emergency management of a disease outbreak.